


Nothing better to do

by Nicholicious



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Boredom, F/M, Fluff, Implied Underage, Intimacy, Teasing, maiko, maikout, sort of a warm up fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-01 01:38:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13987722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicholicious/pseuds/Nicholicious
Summary: ...means I have nothing better than you.





	Nothing better to do

**Author's Note:**

> a very rushed, simple, little one to get myself started on atla. hoping to participate in maiko week this may.
> 
> This wee fic is set in book three, when Zuko and Mai have all the time they want in the fire nation palace city.
> 
> special thanks to g r a m p s, as well as bel & also dong for advice on formatting the title/description.

In the days prior, Zuko had learned that there was no need to prematurely order a palanquin, even if there was hardly a need to use one in the first place.

The servants often feared and offered worship to him, whether he was nonchalant or mordant. And he wasn't mordant: Zuko had learned _some_ humility in his time away, even if no one here would see past the royalty he had to present himself as.

No one, that is, except Mai.

Mai, who Zuko lived just across from, but needed to take an excruciatingly long - however luxurious - trip to see. 

He exited the palace gates in the early afternoon and approached a servant who, after several of this same occasion, said nothing in knowing. Zuko climbed into the palanquin, and was off.

~+~

Mai's room was only part-room, as the wide windows overlooking the palace city from one side made it seem part-terrace. 

Leaning into the windows, Mai sort of surveyed the red-tiled roofs of the city, the golden trims, the sunlight's ability to make it all stand out.

Only sort of. It was a sight she'd seen a million times, but her impatience with anything was tame. No action she could take while she waited was any more interesting than naught.

Hearing her door slide open, she whipped around before stopping and standing straight.

"Your father and I are attending a council meeting, Mai. You know how losing some of our status has hurt us... with the New Ozai incidents and all..." Mai's mother tilted her head, frowning. Bringing a finger to rub her nose, she let loose an over-dramatic sniffle while Mai stood obediently, itching to cross her arms or start pacing.

Her mother stepped closer, setting one hand on the back of a long red couch and inspecting the knuckles of her other hand. "Anyways, dear, I just wanted to make sure that I can trust you to be home alone for a little while. We're taking Tom-Tom." As she spoke, she turned around to approach Mai's bed, briefly fussing over Mai's bed sheets.

"Okay, mom. I don't have any plans. Don't worry." The truth, of course, was much different. While the idea of a boy coming over would inspire their typical effrontery, Mai's parents surely wouldn't argue if it were the Prince, and if he were actually present. So she sought to trap them. 

"That's a good girl." The sound of a sliding door shutting, and Mai was alone again.

~+~

Zuko peeked his head out the palanquin's curtain just as he'd finally arrived. He was getting _eager_. Luxury just got to be too much sometimes.

Exiting the palanquin and uttering a thanks to his servants (to their confusion), Zuko approached the door, observing the setting. The sun sat high in the sky. Birds chirped, bushes rustled. For a moment, Zuko thought: _It's a pretty day outside_.

The thought was fleeting. 

He entered the house with just Mai on his mind.

~+~

This time, when she heard the door open somewhere behind her, Mai stood still. Waited. Footsteps tapped, tapped, and tapped a few before stopping.

A second or two passed. She turned around and looked at Zuko, who was on the other side of the couch, in the eyes. Silence remained, and soon went.

"Mai. Hi."

He wore long, red, royal clothes with a new gold hairpiece holding all his dark brown hair up.

She began walking toward him, and so he went around the couch and met her part way.

"Mai?" He grew uneasy as she eyed him up and down. She wore her clothes rather lazily, with mostly-open sleeves that showed off some porcelain skin on the sides of her arms.

She gazed into his eyes and finally mumbled: "Something's different. Do you need to tell me anything?"

Was he different? Sure, there had been a lot on Zuko's mind lately, from the possibility of being a fraud, to the way he betrayed - no, to how his uncle refused to take his side, and now he was reconsidering his place in the grand scheme of this hundred-year war. He'd learned a thing or two about his family history, about Roku and Sozin, and thought maybe, maybe he just hadn't been making the right choices. Maybe he didn't belong here...

"It's nothing, really..."

"Zuko." She watched him, concerned and somewhat frustrated. Zuko realized his expression likely did no favors to hide how deep in thought he was.

What he knew was that he belonged with Mai, and that was what he knew he could act on. He set his thoughts aside.

"I'd imagine this is a piece of stress you've already told me about, then. How about we get you cheered up?" Mai reached up and gingerly touched his scar, moving closer to him.

Zuko gave a hushed chuckle before smiling a little and timidly returning her loving stare.

Mai's other hand rose against his chest. "Mmm, here we are," she uttered with a discovery. Her hand maintained the same rising motion until she had her fingers on the pin to his new hairpiece. Before Zuko could protest, she pulled it out, and his hair fell loose. She quickly caught the hairpiece as well, setting it on a desk by the couch along with the pin.

Grabbing his hand, she laid down on the couch and pulled him down to lay with her. He obeyed, and they kept comfortable this way for some time.

"How's it, being back home?" Zuko began.

"Boring," She answered simply.

He smiled, running a hand through her hair. "Sounds about right." He paused. "Miss me too much?" He immediately realized how minutely that sounded like himself.

"Zuko, if you genuinely believe-"

"Uh-"

"No. If you think I have well-near nothing to do when you're not around, you're not wrong," She sighed. 

"Mai, I-"

From right up against him, she poked him in the chest. "But don't forget, I'm still someone without you," she proclaimed into his chest defiantly.

Considering his words carefully, Zuko responded, "...You don't need to remind me how strong you are." He hoped it didn't come across too awkwardly. Whispering, he added, "Turtle duck."

"Hush it," she flicked his chin, causing it to lift a bit. He moved to look back down at her.

"Is there something you want, Mai?" He mumbled, sounding slightly irritated.

She unenthusiastically replied, "Zuko, there's so little in this world that I'd care to pursue."

She placed a hand on his hip and pushed herself up a little, giving herself a better look at him. 

"I have nothing to ever do, but I'm..." Mai wasn't used to confessing to people, it seemed. "I'm glad I have you."

He grew tense as she examined him, as he felt her cold, often emotionlessly sardonic eyes, scrutinizing but loving, sick of it all, all but him. He was her exception.

From her position above him, it was as though the setting sun's illumination coming in through the window focused on her as he witnessed her perusing her lover.

Her choice was made. Mai perused further, eliciting a gasp from Zuko as she leaned in and kissed up his neck to nibble on his ear. She grabbed him and pulled herself in close, comfortable.

Zuko tried to gather himself and return the giving. He ran one hand slowly along her back, the other rushing to her outer thigh only to halt and study a small area. His hand gripped, then only his finger touched her, moving in an unhurried swirling motion.

Her paroxysm heightening, Mai forcefully straddled Zuko and kissed him hard. She slapped his hand placed at her thigh, trying to budge him inward suggestively.

Zuko's hand only inched, despite Mai's attempt to advance. She bit his lip punishingly.

He tried to sit up from under her as they kissed, creating a short-lived battle as Mai shoved him down with the force of her kissing.

Noting the protuberance of Zuko's crotch between her thighs, Mai rocked her hips in a tantalizing fashion.

Breaking their kiss, Zuko let loose a breathy sigh, laced with a sound of arousing content. "Mai-"

"Shut it, Zuko." She spat quietly, almost weakly. Her face hovered over Zuko's, close enough that they could feel each other's breath on their lips, Zuko's especially hot. She, again, shoved Zuko's hand at her thigh inward, which had been idle all the while.

He obeyed, moving to rub her innermost thigh through her clothes. It was Mai's turn to give a hushed moan. She snatched at his hair, which had grown fittingly messy during the mess that was their game of kissing and groping.

Zuko took the opportunity to try to sit up, kissing Mai's exposed collar as his hand continued to work. Mai's dominant composure had frozen as he sent shivers through her; but once they were upright, Mai put her hands on his shoulders in preparation to throw him onto his back.

Suddenly, Mai instead threw herself off of him, patting her clothes down, ushering Zuko into a harmless-looking upright position, and taking a seat in a lady-like posture herself.

Behind them and the couch, the sliding door opened, and in rushed Tom-Tom, squealing like the baby he was. Mai's parents followed shortly after.

"Mai, I thought you said-" Both Zuko and Mai turned to face her parents, and upon seeing the scar along Zuko's face from under his loose hair, she cleared her throat and restarted. "Prince Zuko!" She bowed. "We weren't expecting you." 

Zuko stood and bowed to each of them, although he imagined it didn't come off as royally as it typically would, what with his present appearance. "Good to see you, Michi, Ukano," He stated without stuttering. Aware of the average low-quality of Zuko's cover-ups, Mai smiled in modest appreciation.

Knowing she was in a position of power against her parents with Zuko there, Mai brought on a small, polite, fake smile and spoke out of turn. "Was there something you wanted, Mom? Dad?" 

They shook their heads and left at the same rate at which they'd entered, not before Michi could fetch Tom-Tom.

Once the door was shut, the couple sighed in relief. Moments of silence passed between them, Zuko still watching the door, unmoving, comprehending recent events.

He looked at Mai, and then just in front of her, out the windows of the terrace-like side of her room. It was getting dark. He looked at the back of Mai's head, unable to shake thoughts of the intensity they'd just had between them, a inchoate spell that seemed easily broken by their interruption. Maybe it was a spell they could cast again.

Mai got up, and they looked at each other meekly, Zuko running a hand through his hair rather boyishly.

"Think I can stay the night?"

"You'd have to get a courier for a message home."

"I've got nothing better to do."

"Yeah," she paused meaningfully. He practically heard her smile. "Me too."

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for stopping by. go ahead and lemme know how you liked it, hmm?
> 
> unfortunately i never fit it in there (since they didn't bang) but acknowlege consent and such, not many (if any) relationships are this smooth and silently-understanding. consent is a very specific thing to give or not give. this is just a bit of fantasy.
> 
> posted this at 3 am lol


End file.
